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Man seems to be an animal whose capacity for lies is only…

“Man seems to be an animal whose capacity for lies is only equalled by his credulity; it does no good to let battalions of cats outof bags, to produce whole harems of naked facts, people eat the same three meals daily deception, and are always ready to turn with fury upon the purveyors of bagless…” quote by John Dos Passos
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“Man seems to be an animal whose capacity for lies is only equalled by his credulity; it does no good to let battalions of cats outof bags, to produce whole harems of naked facts, people eat the same three meals daily deception, and are always ready to turn with fury upon the purveyors of bagless cats and facts undraped. Probably their instinct is wise. Who knows?”

John Dos Passos

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Human deceit and gullibility are intertwined, leading societies to accept falsehoods as facts.

In simple terms: People often believe lies because they want to.

Key Takeaway

Question and verify information.

Themes

truth deception credulity

Mood

cautious reflective

Type

philosophical critical

When to use this quote

  • reading news
  • debating politics
  • educational workshops

Key Concepts

social psychology information overload

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you guard against believing false narratives?
  • What role does skepticism play in daily life?
A Different Perspective

Truth can be suppressed by collective denial.

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